Draft gear



Sept. 7 1926.

` A. F. STUEBING DRAFT GEAR Patented Sept.` 7, y

UNITE-estaras rATrNT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. STUEBING, or NEW Yoan, N. Y., AssreNon To THE BRADFORD PATENTS OORPORATrON. OE Nnw Yoan, N. Y.; A CORPORATION O r DELAWARE.

DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed .Tune 3, 1325. Serial No. 34,535. I

My invention relates to draft gears of the ments, and draft stra-in transmitting rods; 55 type employing springs in the line of draft Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the and provided with floating abutinentsybepreferred forni of housing for guiding the tween the springs, and means traversing each rodsV and which also desirably serves to limit abutment for transmitting draft strains to the` extent to which the followers may apthe other. A n 'Y proach each other; and Fig. 8 illustrates a 60 My invention has for its object the general modification of the arrangement shown in improvement: in the construction of such Fig. 6. f .n gears and an arrangement Y whereby .the The draft sill structure is desirably in- 10 draft strain transmitting means engaging elusive of center sills 1.l The couplerr stein the abutments may be accommodated with- 2 and the coupler yoke 3 are suitably assein- 65 out increasing the space required Ybetween bledwith said sills.A In the embodiment of the yoke sides and between the draft sills the invention illustrated,the Aouter end of containing the gear. the coupler yoke and the stem areassembled Draft gears constructed in l accordance by a transverse key 4 whichL passes` through with my invention are inclusive of draft elongated horizontal slots 5 provided in the 70 strain transmitting rods. These rods piefer- Center sllls, these slots .being of sufficient ably fiom, in which Qns@ hongingg are prolength to permit the coupler yoke and stein vided to guide them in their movements and t0 Operate throughout their yrequired .range to retain them in proper relation with the 0f `movement longitudinally of the slots.

gear elements operating thereupon and op- The key 4r supports the inner end of the oou- 75 armed thereby. pler stein and the outer end of the coupler In the preferred embodiment of the invenyOle Upon the sills, the stein being fui-ther tion, inner and outer followers are employed, Supported'by the bridge piece 6 assembled the springs being interposed between these with the sills while the yokeis further supfollowers and the floating abutinents that pOFteCl by thev transverse strap 7 which vis S0 are between. the adjacent @nds 0f the Springe. bolted to and beneaththe sills. Inner and Draft strain transmitting rods intervene Out-el OllOWGFS .8 and 9' 11T@ Surrounded by y between the follower pertaining t0 nach the yoke and are supported upon the bottom ...o Spring and fhg abutment pertaining to side of the yoke. Inner and outer coiled the abutment pertaining to the first spring' Cllef end are respectively engaged by the for this purpose. Each spring is embraced inner and outer followers. Abutnients 12 by two draft transmitting rods and in order and 1 3 are lnterposed between the opposing that the draft gear Span@ may be econoyoradjacent ends of the springs, abutment 12 inized', each pair of rods is arranged inan being engaged by the Spring 10 and the 9o oblique plane that contains the axis of the abutment 13 being engaged by the spring springs, the oblique'planes in which both 11. y v pairs of rods are disposed being themselves Y Referllng 110W particularly to the con- 40 in angular relation.y struction illustrated in each of the figures The invention will be more fully eX- eXoept Fig. 8, two outer rods 14 and 15 have 95 plained in connection with the accompanythe spring 10 interposed therebetween, these ing drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view rods being in engagement with the follower partially in section of a draft gear con- 8 pertaining to this spring and the floating structed in accor-dance wth the preferred abutment 13 which pertains to spring 11,

the other Spring and Crossing Or traversing springs 10 and 11 are arranged in the line 85 embodimentof the invention; Fig. 2 is a the rods constituting means for preserving 100 sectional View on line QW?. of 1; Fig. 3 the distance between this follower and abutis a plan View, partially in section, of a part ment. There are also provided two inner of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with porrods 16 and 17 which are in engagement with tions in changed positions; l is a seethe inner follower 9 and between which the tional View on line 44-1 of F ig. 1; Fig. 5 inner spring 11 is interposed, these rods 105 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; 16 and 17 also lengaging the fioating abut- Fig. 6 is aV perspective view illustrating the ment 12 pertaining to the outer spring 10. preferred embodiment of followers, abut- Thus each pair of rods embracing one spring crosses and guides the abutment pertaining to this spring into engagement with the abutment pertaining to the other spring.

rhe draft sills are provided with formations for limiting the. outward movement of the outer follower` and the inward movement of the inner follower, these formations being desirably in the nature of outer cheek plates 18, 19, and inner cheek.v plates 2() and 21 that are riveted to the center sills. The extent to which the followers may approach one another is limited by a rod enclosing housing including a pair of plates 22 and 23 that are desirably bent into channel form with channels facing each other. The ends of these plates embrace supplemental housing portions in the form of straps 24 and Q5 which are shaped to define with the corner portions of the aforesaid plates four channel ways 26 in which the rods 141, 15, 16 and 17 slide and are guided. By this arrangement one pair of rods 14, 15 is contained in an oblique plane which is inclusive of the axis of the spring 10, and the other pair of rods 1G, 17 is included in another oblique plane angular to the first, and which is inclusive of the. axis of the spring` 11. T hat is, one pair of rods is arranged upon one diagonal and the other upon another diagonal. The rods are thus placed where there is the maximum space between the coiled springs and the surrounding portions of the gear.

The structure shown in Fig. S possesses elements similar to those in the other figures, similar parts being given similar characters of reference. There is but one pair of rods, 14. 15, however, in this construction, the other pair of rods being replaced by the single rod 27 which would be coaxial with the spring 11 and which traverses the abutment 13 through a central hole 28 formed in this abutment, this single rod engaging the abutment 12 to perform the function of the two rods 16 and 17.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim 1. A draft gear including inner and outer followers, springs in the line of draft, each follower having a spring individual thereto; abutments between the opposed ends of said springs, one engaged by one of'these spring ends and the other by the other of said spring ends; two rods between which one spring is disposed and constituting distance preserving means between the follower pertaining to this spring and the abutment pertaining to the other spring; distance preserving` means between the other follower and abutment; plates interposed between said followers to limit the extent to which they may approach each other; and a strap forming with said plates channel ways guiding said rods.

2. A `draft gear including inner and outer springs arranged in the line of draft; floating abutments between the opposed ends of said springs, one engaged by one of said spring ends and the other by the other of said spring ends; two draft strain transmitting floating rods engaging one abutment and between which the spring pertaining to the other abutment is disposed; draftstrain transmitting means engaging the other abutment; and a housing for said rods which guides them in their movements.

ln witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

ALBERT F. STUEBING. 

